Tale as Old as Time
by writtenasraeshaner
Summary: When the most beautiful girl in town and the man everyone calls a beast are left with the promise of peach pie in Post-Civil War Georgia, all the possibilities are laid out for them, and they just might be a tale as old as time.
1. Barely Even Friends

Under the stars, in an open grassy field, a man stood with a lit cigarette between his fingers. He brought it up to his lips and took a long drag as he stared out at the roses that lined the border of the white plantation house. Exhaling the smoke between his lips he moved his stare from the roses to the stars above. He sighed when he saw the moon. For three years he had spent his nights, alone on the plantation, watching the moon. He flicked the cigarette to the ground making sure he stamped it out with his shoe. Kicking at a patch of grass he swung around and strode back into the house, stopping on the porch, he placed a hand on one of the columns of the large plantation house. It had taken the last three years to rebuild the great house after the fire that left him alone and scarred. He hadn't been able to do much but sign the papers the first year as his half mangled body healed, leaving only scars of the burns he'd sustained behind. Now he was marred for life, grizzled, they said. The workers on the plantation were afraid of him, just for the way he looked. The people in the small Georgian town were all afraid of him too, but that didn't stop them from talking about what happened that night. Some said that it was his mother that started the fire, having caught her husband in yet another affair, because she wanted to teach him a lesson and kill herself in the process. Others claimed it was a disgruntled worker that started the fire, angry about something that the job called for, exacting his vengeance. No one knew the real story, not even him. All anyone knew was that the fire had left him an orphan, mangled his once perfect skin, and ensure that no servant or maid wanted to work in the place ever again. So he was there, alone, except for the plantation workers, and he hardly bothered with them.

He made his way to his study, deciding that a glass of whiskey would be perfect for him right now, as it was every other night after he'd pondered the moon. He settled into his chair and sipped at the bitter drink, thinking about how soon it would be time to harvest the peaches. Harvesting peaches meant he'd have to go into town in order to sell peaches, in order to keep the place running. Just because everyone thought he was half-mad and hideous didn't mean they wouldn't buy his peaches. It could be said that the good people of the near-by town only bought his peaches out of pity, it was a well-known fact that he grew the best peaches for miles around, hell, most folks said he grew the best peaches from their little town all the way out to Knoxville, and sure enough people from all walks of life came to get their hands on those Georgia peaches.

So it came to pass in a few weeks' time that he went to town and started delivering peaches to the local markets, and letting townspeople know that they could come out and purchase some from him whenever they wanted. Then one day, she came. Her father was retired from the military; he'd apparently done a lot of good in the civil war, came home and had the most beautiful little girl the town had seen in a long time. She had long brown hair and big green eyes and she'd been named after her mother who had died in childbirth. Belinda, Belle for short, stood in a periwinkle colored dress with a large hat flopping in front of her face; she had skin like a peach and lips that were pink and full. She truly was a beauty, although from what he'd heard she was rather odd. He didn't realized he'd been staring at her until she approached him.

"Mr. Pearce," she called, her voice soft and yet firm. "What kind of peaches would you recommend for a pie? My nanny just promised she'd teach me how to make peach pie, but only if I got the peaches from you."

He cleared his throat in order to find his voice, "Well Miss Stone, I would suggest the Golden Jubilee peaches, they're nice and soft so they seem to have a melt-in-the-mouth texture when you put them in a pie, and they're freestone peaches so it's a lot easier to remove the pits. My mama always used to use Golden Jubilee peaches, and I have never found a peach pie more perfect than hers."

"Well I'll have to bring you one of mine Mr. Pearce, because I'm sure you will change your mind. I'll take a few pounds of them then, and I'll be by tomorrow with that pie. Daddy?" She called her father over. "This is Mr. Pearce, I'd like to bring him a pie tomorrow, would you mind too terribly if I did?"

"Of course not my dear, it's a pleasure to meet you Pearce. My little girl seems to have taken a liking to you. You make sure you take care of her now, you hear?"

"Yes sir, Colonel Stone." He answered as if it was nothing, as if he could handle it but honestly he was shocked. The most beautiful girl in the county wanted to come and spend time with him, willingly and not for business.

That night, he avoided looking at the moon and it's cruel beauty. He sat in his study, going over the days business numbers, and daydreaming about peach pie.


	2. Then Somebody Bends

The next day, Belinda Stone was walking merrily down the dirt road from her father's town house to Adam Pearce's plantation. She had a wicker basket slung casually over her left arm and she was humming a Fur Elise under her breath. Her peach pie had come out marvelous, and Mr. Pearce had been right the peaches were perfect for pie making. Nan had been excited when she saw the Golden Jubilee peaches, claiming that those were the kind of peaches Belle's mama had used, and her pie came second best, only to Adam Pearce's mother's. Belle remembered Mrs. Pearce's pies, but she felt that her pie had certainly outdone the deceased woman, may she rest in peace.

It was nearing two o'clock when she arrived at the gates of the plantation. She swung one side open and walked straight in. The path up to the main house was well worn by the people who always came to get peaches, many people were milling around browsing through crates of peaches as she strode up the walk. She held her head high and walked past the crowd that was whispering a bit and casting their eyes toward Gaston LeChien who was the butcher's son, undoubtedly trying to have an afternoon romp with a plantation worker. Gaston had been Belinda's prospective future husband until her father had found out that he was the kind to sneak around with any girl he could get his hands on. He noticed her as she was walking up the path.

"Belle," he called, smiling gently. "Are you here for some peaches?" he asked her, when she stopped and turned to look at him."

Luckily at that moment Adam Pearce was walking down the steps of the main house.

"Miss Stone was here yesterday to pick some peaches Mr. LeChien. I promised them to her half price in exchange for some marvelous peach pie, which she seems to have brought right on time." Gaston glared at the younger man, but nearly leaped out of his skin as Adam drew closer to Belle.

"Shall we go have some tea and a slice of that pie Miss Stone? I'm sure one of the other managers can handle business for a while?"

"I'll be a long in just a moment Mr. Pearce, I'd like to have a word with Mr. LeChien."

"Alright, I'll wait for you in the kitchen, it's fairly easy to find but if you need anything just holler."

"I most certainly will, Mr. Pearce." He gave her a soft smile, or at least, what he imagined a soft smile would look like if the half of his face that was burned could conjure one. Adam turned and walked back into the large house, leaving his front door open for whenever Belle decided to enter.

As soon as Mr. Pearce was out of sight Belle rounded on Gaston.

"Mr. LeChien, it would be very wise of you to refrain from referring to me by my chosen name, as well as my Christian name. We are not married, we are not engaged, we are not even friends. You will show me courtesy and respect when you address me, am I understood."

"So what, you're going to go spend your time with that mangled, ugly man rather than with me? Well I assure you Belinda," he spat, "The Colonel will hear about this."

"Daddy already knows where I am, Mr. LeChien and he quite heartily approves. Besides that, I believe that Mr. Pearce is a wonderful and kind man who happens to be scarred by a terrible accident. He has shown nothing but courtesy to me and my father and has given me all the respect that can be offered. Much more than I can say for you Gaston LeChien." With that she turned on her heel and stalked into the large house. Belle was seething, she had never been so angry in her life. For Gaston LeChien to judge Mr. Pearce based on some ridiculous rumors and his appearance. He wasn't always scarred, and Belle remembered how handsome he used to be, but it didn't really matter he was a good man.

She removed her hat and hung it on the coat rack by the door. Bringing her basket along with her, she made her way into the kitchen which was really fairly easy to find like Mr. Pearce had said.

"Miss Stone," he greeted, stirring tea in a glass pitcher.

"Mr. Pearce," Belle returned, setting her basket on the counter. She pulled back the red and white gingham cloth from over the top of the basket and removed the pie.

"Now that looks delicious, let me get some plates." He turned around, abandoning the tea and reached into a counter. Pulling out two plates and two glasses he moved on to the drawer in order to get silverware.

"Would you like a spoon or a fork?" he asked her.

"A fork will be fine, thank you."

He pulled two forks from the drawer and made his way across the kitchen, bringing as much as he could to the table. She caught on and brought the pitcher and the pie plate along as well.

"The pie's fresh," she murmured. "I made it this morning."

"What's wrong, peaches not ripe enough?" he teased lightly.

"Oh no, they were perfect!" she exclaimed, "I ate one last night. Or, maybe two or three. They really are delicious, but Nan was just too tired to teach me how to make one last night, so we made them this morning, and had a slice with lunch. Nan and Daddy both declared that they were better than any pie they'd ever tasted."

"Well I'll have to judge it too. Though I'm sure it'll be perfect." He stated, as he returned to the kitchen to get the tools to serve the pie. After settling at the table, Belle looked around the spacious kitchen.

"My this is a beautiful house. Daddy said it only took you three years to rebuild?"

"Well, some of the foundation was still usable, and I had every available man working on it or it would've taken ten. I paid a bit more than I should have, and I haven't been able to put too much into the peaches but I wasn't quite willing to sacrifice all that time. It came out beautiful though, after we eat I'll give you the full tour." He offered, as he sliced and served the pie. Sitting down he scooped up a bit of pie on his fork and took a bite. Before he could even finish the first bite his mouth was watering in anticipation for the second bite.

"Now that is simply the best peach pie I've ever had." Adam complimented. Belle blushed a little, and gave him a small smile.

"I'm glad you think so." She replied, taking the confident with pride.

"Must be the peaches." he teased, but the result was her clear peal of laughter ringing through the usually empty house, and for a moment it was like a picture of the future had been painted. He could see Belinda in the kitchen, baking pies and playing with children, teaching their little girls how to bake that perfect peach pie. She would make cornbread and birthday cakes and all sorts of treats for the family. They would on the porch sipping sweet tea as the sun went down in a pair of wicker rocking chairs. She would read bedtime stories to their little ones, she would wear a wide straw hat during a picnic in the lawn, she would wear a beautiful white dress when they wed, and her laughter would always light up his world. All of these things, and so many more flashed in front of him as he listened to her laugh, and his heart ached.

For who could ever love a beast?


	3. Unexpectedly

Adam and Belinda sat contentedly at the table, half the pie having been eaten, they'd spent the last hour talking.

"Well Miss Stone, I really must say that was the most perfect peach pie I've ever tasted, if you continue to make them like that I may half to always give you peaches half off, for the price of a pie of course."

"Mr. Pearce if you wanted I would bring you a pie everyday, unfortunately if you ate a pie every single day it might go straight to your gut, but I suppose if we managed to be civilized and only eat a piece each with tea, it may not be so bad." She teased, lightheartedly. He stared at her, taken aback for a moment, as she suggested she spend time with him everyday, and then he threw his head back and let out a roar of laughter.

"Leave it to a woman, Miss Stone, to worry about gaining weightt from peach pie." He managed to get out around his hearty chuckles. She let out a soft giggle and smiled up at him.

"I do believe you promised me a tour of this beautiful house of yours." Belle remarked.

"I did indeed, Miss Stone." He stood and offered her a hand in order to guide her through the house. Belle stood up and brushed off her skirt before taking his hand, letting him lead her around the table before slipping her arm through his. They walked through the large house, and he showed her every corner of it. He let Belle into his study, and into the drawing room. He led her upstairs and showed her the bedrooms and the new toilets in the bathroom, which she immensely enjoyed. The last room of the upstairs he showed her was the library. As soon as he opened the door her eyes lit up like a child who'd just been given a piece of candy. He could tell that she was working hard to not go zipping across the room and delve into the shelves.

"How many books do you have in here?" she asked him.

"I'm not sure, I had them all brought in after the room had been finished. I don't spend a lot of time in here though, I spend more time in the study than anywhere really."

She nodded a little, looking around the room, touching the spines of a few books.

"This is wonderful, I wonder if I might borrow a few of these sometimes."

"If you like. When you bring buy, you can take home a book or two at a time. No more than that though, I wouldn't want it on my head that you were over-taxing yourself with so many books." He grinned a bit, glad that she was taking interest in his home and spending more time with him.

"Oh that would be lovely," she sighed. "Well, let me pick one out and we can continue the tour, and I'll be sure to bring you more pie tomorrow, apple maybe, I'm sure you won't want peach pie every day."

"I think apple will do just fine. Shall we?"

Belle turned around and took the arm he was holding out to her and they continued to walk around the house, ending in the parlor where she saw a beautiful black piano that seemed to be collecting dust in the corner of the room.

"Do you play?" she asked him.

"I can, but I haven't in a long time." He responded, looking down at the wonder on her face.

"May I play it?"

"Certainly, do you need any music?"

"No, not today, but perhaps I'll bring some tomorrow." Belle let go of his arm and wandered over to the stool behind the piano, setting the book she'd selected on the lid. She brushed the underside of her skirt and sat down, placing her fingers gently on the keys. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and began to play.

The sweet notes of Moonlight Sonata poured out of the piano. The people on the lawn closest to the house stopped and turned an ear toward the great house where the music was coming from. Most bystanders were shocked to hear the piano's soft notes. It had been a long time since music came through the walls of the white house. For Adam it was like a breath of fresh air after a long swim in the creek. Belle could have played the song in the wrong key and hit every note incorrectly and he still would have found it perfect. It was in that moment that he decided to court Belinda Stone, whether she rejected him or her father rejected him, at least he would have tried. He listened as Belle's fingers flew aptly over the notes of the first movement as it came to a close. She grinned as she stood.

"My, it's been a while since I played such a beautiful piano. Thank you for letting me play, I should be going though. It'll be dinner time soon and Nan won't like it if I'm late."

"Of course Miss Stone. I'll walk you out, let me go collect your basket." He offered and waited until she'd nodded her head in consent until he left the room and entered the kitchen. Spying the basket on the counter he picked it up and returned to Belle.

"Miss Stone, would you mind sending your father over tomorrow morning? I have a few things I'd like to talk to him about, if you don't mind?" He asked her, as she met him in the entryway, retying her hat.

"I will pass along the message for him Mr. Pearce, would you like me to come at the same time tomorrow?"

"I would, if your father allows it, but don't worry about bringing more pie, I'll save the one you brought today so I don't put on too much weight." Adam declared, giving her a subtle smile. "Perhaps you could bring music for a duet tomorrow and we might play together, if you have any that is."

"I'll see what I have." She stated returning his smile. Adam pulled the door open for her and followed her down the steps.

Belle stopped a few yards from his front porch and was beginning to say good-bye when Gaston LeChien walked up with his arm draped over a woman who was a worker on the plantation.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the newest town harlot Belinda Stone." Gaston sneered.

It happened like lightning, in one second Gaston was standing there sneering and the next Adam was on top of Gaston with his fists swinging. Everyone stopped whatever it was that they had been doing and any conversations they had been having, in order to turn and gawk at the two men brawling on the ground. Finally a few other men rushed over and pulled Adam off of Gaston. The latter of the two pulled himself up from the ground clutching his bleeding nose in one hand and nursing his jaw with the other. Adam calmed down enough to talk.

"Get off my property LeChien, and if I ever see you on it again I'll report you to the sheriff after I've tied you to the whipping post and dealt you a severe lashing." He growled out, shrugging the two men holding him back off. Gaston spit blood out of his mouth at Adam's feet.

"She's still a harlot." At this remark Adam lunged at him again and Belle placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him but Gaston had already started running, and falling a few times, like a dog with his tail between his leg.

"Thank you, for defending me Mr. Pearce, but I had better leave now. I'll send my father over in the morning." She murmured.

He nodded and looked over at her.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Miss Stone." He muttered, feeling ashamed. But she gave him a small, sweet smile and shook her head.

"It's about time someone put him in his place, I'm just glad I was here to see it." With that she turned, pulling her basket up her arm and began walking off the plantation. "Until tomorrow then Mr. Pearce," she called over her shoulder, giving him a small wave. And he just couldn't quite believe his luck.


	4. Just a Little Change

The morning after his altercation with Gaston, Colonel Stone was knocking on Adam's door.

"Good morning sir, I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you so early can I offer you some breakfast, or some coffee. Maybe both?"

"Both would be fine Mr. Pearce," he gestured for Adam to lead him into the kitchen. Adam nodded his head and headed into his kitchen. As he prepared eggs and coffee with a bit of bacon the Colonel looked around his house.

"This place is just as nice inside as it is outside." He remarked.

"Thank you sir." Adam replied, accepting the compliment and passing the Colonel his meal and a cup of coffee.

"Now, before we get started I just wanted to thank you for defending my daughter yesterday. It's no secret what happened between her and Gaston LeChien and the whole town is talking about yesterday's incident but I wanted to thank you personally. I assume I'm here because you want to discuss formally courting my daughter." Colonel Stone stated. Adam almost dropped his cup of coffee, wondering how the older man had known what his intentions were.

"Yes sir, I did. I know I'm not the best match," he started, gesturing to his scarred face. "But I.. I like your daughter sir. She was here yesterday afternoon and she managed to bring so much life into this house which has seemed so empty for so long. I know you may not agree and she may not agree but I'd like to give it a try, and if it works I'd like your blessing to ask for her hand in marriage when the time comes. I would always take care of her, and I'd love to see her bring joy into this house."

"I think you'd be a fine match for Belinda," said the Colonel before taking a bite of his eggs and nodding his approval at Adam's cooking. "If you can get her to fall in love with you boy, I'll bless the wedding. Although I don't think it will be too hard, that girl seems to already be head over heels in love with you." Adam blushed at the Colonel's comment.

"Thank you sir." He murmured. Shorty afterwards the Colonel left and in the afternoon Belinda came returned. The pattern of seeing each other every afternoon continued for a few months before Adam decided that it was time to ask her to marry him, and of course she agreed as quickly as she could.

The day of the wedding came and just as he'd thought when he first heard her laughter in his kitchen, she floated down the aisle in a beautiful white dress, holding on to her father's arm. They exchanged vows and shared a kiss and had a magnificent party and after that they began their life together.

And they lived happily ever after among the peach trees.


End file.
